Owolabi: Nigerians Should Pardon Oliseh

By James Agberebi:
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Former Nigeria international, Felix Owolabi, has urged Nigerians to forgive Super Eagles coach Sunday Oliseh after apologizing for his YouTube video outburst.

In a chat with Completesportsnigeria.com, Owolabi said he believed Oliseh must have learnt from his mistake.

"Just like what the Catholic pope said, that this year is a year of mercy. So, if the year has been declared as a year of mercy, and this kind of thing is coming at this period, which does not speak well, I will want every Nigerian to pardon Oliseh," Owolabi told Completesportsnigeria.com .

"Having realised what he said, which was not supposed to come from someone of his calibre, it is enough for us to say let's have mercy with the hope that he has learnt his lessons.

"The mistake he made was that he didn't know he owes Nigerians explanation whenever the team failed do well. Because whether you like it or not, Oliseh is answerable to Nigerians.

"If he has been contacted by the Nigeria Football Federation, it is the country that has given him that opportunity, which is a rare privilege.

"When he got the job, he felt like 'I am the boss'. Nobody is interested in that, what everybody is interested in is the result, which will speak for you."

Owolabi stated that he had always anticipated a tough time for whoever will take over from former Nigeria coach, Stephen Keshi.

"I remember when Keshi left, I said after Keshi we will find it difficult to get somebody that will give us a good team in any championship. And it is not more than a year that Keshi left – look at what is happening.

"Even in the case of Keshi, because he was getting results, he thought he was on top of the world. He could talk to anybody anyhow. There must be politeness in anything we are doing."

Owolabi however called on Nigerians to continue supporting Oliseh in spite of the recent developments.

"The Super Eagles is our brand. Let us support him. Right now, he is a confused man, he is not finding his rhythm, that was the reason for his outburst. Like I said if I were him, I will keep quiet and tell Nigerians please next time we will do better.

"A coach is always held responsible to anything that happens to a team. If you get results they will praise you and when the results are not coming, they will say their mind.

"So I urge all Nigerians to forgive him and look at how better we want the Super Eagles to be because we are all human beings."